News & Information

New museum: George Jones Museum!
128 2nd Avenue North. 615-818-0128. This new museum on 2nd Avenue is a walk through George Jones' life featuring his first guitar, memorabilia, awards, a sing-along booth and more. The building also includes a restaurant, rooftop bar, gift shop, and special event space. Hours of operation for the museum and gift shop are Monday - Sunday, 8 am - 10 pm.

Events This Week

THURSDAY, APRIL 30 - SUNDAY, MAY 3, TIMES VARY BY DATE
LOCATION: MUSIC CITY CENTER $12 ADULTS; $6 CHILDREN 6-12; UNDER 6 FREE

The four-day event includes fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, beauty tips, health screenings, decorating ideas and personal growth opportunities—all tailored especially for women. More than 550 exhibitors will showcase the latest trends and products. Plus, a lineup of celebrity guest speakers including Randy Fenoli of "Say Yes to the Dress," Peter Facinelli of "Twilight" and many more.

Art talks on 5th Avenue of the Arts hosted by Paul Polycarpou, editor of Nashville Arts Magazine. Cocktails will be served at 5:30 pm. At 6 pm, The Arts Company will start the evening with a conversation with sculptor John Petrey. At 6:45 pm, The Rymer Gallery will feature artists Dan Oglander and Casey Pierce, whose current exhibit “From the Cut” is currently on view. Tinney Contemporary will complete the evening at 7:30 pm with American painter Anna Jaap. Free valet parking and complimentary refreshments by Sambuca. This event is free, but registration is required. Click here to RSVP.

Shen Yun performs classical Chinese dance and music inspired by the myths, legends and divine beauty of 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. Enjoy stunning costumes, brilliant choreography and state-of-the-art dynamic backdrops, all complemented by a live orchestra combining Chinese and Western instruments.

Featuring a 3.1-mile course, this fundraising event serves as the season-ending achievement for Girls on the Run of Nashville, a nonprofit that seeks to inspire, educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect, positive relationships and healthy active living. Please note: road closures associated with this event. Course begins and ends at LP Field Lot R (under the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge), traveling into East Nashville. Closures begin as early as 7:30 am and end as late as 9:30 am on Saturday, May 2.

Relay For Life offers the opportunity for the community to raise funds and awareness to help in the fight against cancer. Teams will camp out and take turns walking/running the track. The day is filled with food, music, a kids' zone and more. Plus, the traditional Luminaria Ceremony, which remembers loved ones lost to cancer and honors cancer survivors, and the Fight Back Ceremony. The event is free for participants, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

Bond Coffee Company has added ice cream to its menu—and they're celebrating by offering free scoops of ice cream and sorbet Saturday, May 2 from 11 am - 8 pm! The first 50 visitors will receive a complimentary Bond Coffee Company mug with their free scoop. Take a picture with your ice cream at the photo booth and enter the Instagram contest to win a gift basket.

A huge Southern celebration of quality bourbon, craft beer and horse racing, Frontstretch Fest—the world’s largest Derby viewing party—will feature a stellar lineup of food, drink and music as it prepares to bring the excitement of the most famous horse race to the Nashville Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 2. General admission tickets include samples and 15 food and drink tokens. VIP tickets include unlimited food and drink samples, access to exclusive tastings, catering, private brewing and distillery classes, private restrooms and more. Designated driver tickets include eight food tokens.

Join the Nashville Civic Design Center and Vanderbilt's Department of Art as they showcase the work of 16 photography students in their exhibit "City in Progress," on display through Friday, May 22. "City in Progress" is a yearlong student project exploring modernist architecture and its legacy in Nashville. Stop by and check it out before heading to see more artwork during the First Saturday Art Crawl!

Art galleries throughout downtown host receptions and art openings every month. Most galleries serve free wine and other refreshments. See this month's gallery map. Live music on the performance platforms along 5th Avenue by Greg Bryant and the Serenatta Romantic Latin Ensemble. Two free shuttles will circulate the route from 6 pm - 10 pm. Please note: road closure associated with this event. The southbound lane on 5th Avenue North (Church Street - Union Street) will be closed beginning as early as 5 pm and ending as late as 9 pm on Saturday, May 2. Participating galleries in this month's crawl include:

Saturday, May 2 marks the inaugural Art Crawl After Party. Printers Alley will transform into its own gallery — complete with local artwork exhibits plus a live paint show inside Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar (cover charge at Bourbon Street is $10). This event will continue on the first Saturday of each month through October 3, 2015. Check it out while downtown for the First Saturday Art Crawl!

St. Anejo will host its second annual Cinco de Mayo festival Sunday, May 3! This celebration of Mexican culture will feature street food and drinks, live music, local artisans and more. Tickets include one drink ticket. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

The First Baptist Nashville Youth Choir will present "Godspell," one of the biggest Off Broadway and Broadway successes of all time, on Sunday, May 3. Students will present a shorter, revised version of the musical emphasizing the Scriptures and teachings of Jesus.

Watch the 2015 Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders Final Auditions at Wildhorse Saloon on Sunday, May 3. Eat, drink, enjoy a performance by Brassfield Aly and find out who will be out on the sidelines cheering on the Titans this season.

Several distinguished chefs from some of Nashville’s hottest restaurants will battle it out in a cooking competition with a new spin—chefs must use items typically donated to food banks in Nashville. This fundraiser will showcase the struggle these families face to have a healthy meal while raising awareness of the importance of donating nutritious food options to shelters. Downtown chefs include Kristin Beringson of City Winery, Rachel Cannon of Tin Roof Broadway and Trey Cioccia of The Farm House.

The Symphony Spring Fashion Show will feature a collection by designer Brunello Cucinelli. Mandy Barnett will be the musical guest and Anastasia Brown the celebrity guest host. Tickets include pre-show cocktails, excellent seats for the Fashion Show and performance, and an after party with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and a Jordan Alexander jewelry boutique.

Submit downtown area events, news, and other information to be published in thisnewsletter by using our online form or by contacting Andrea Champion (615-743-3097)at the latest by the Monday of the week to be profiled.